On my bookshelf, my favorite reads in 2022

What were your top reads of 2022?

I have such fond memories of my sister and me, as little girls visiting the Nelspruit Public library. Once we'd checked out our books for the week, we'd sit on this huge rock outside, while my mom was finishing up her grocery shopping. And we would already be consuming those books. Very often we'd run back inside, check the books back in and take out others because we'd already finished them.

If I read an exceptional fiction book, I either want it to last long(like the Lincoln Highway) or chase it quickly till the end (Motherhood, The Judge's List, or Next in Line). A fiction book captures my mind, and allows me to travel into an entirely new world and discover new people, and learn lessons through their journeys. However, for my career in transforming leaders and teams, I do consume some non-fiction too.

I have made a list of 16 of the books I've read this year, with why I loved them, and a list of what I will be reading these holidays. Perhaps you can get some gift ideas from my list today.

What will I be reading these holidays?

1. 10 minutes 38 seconds in this strange world -Elif Shafak:
2. Finding me -Viola Davis:
3. Slaughterman's daughter: Yaniv Iezkovits
4. The Sweet spot-Sue Fuller Good
5. Jack Reacher Thriller: No plan B -Lee Child
6. Jack Reacher: Worth Dying for -Lee |Child
7. Jack Reacher: 61 hours -Lee Child
8. Winning the God Way-George Mutendazamera
9. The Architecture of a great story-Bruce Wade
10. Crowd Control-Bruce Wade
11. Become yourself-Max Moyo

Here are some of the books that grabbed my attention this last year, that you might want to get as a holiday read or Christmas Gift to your family.

1. The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles

A beautiful fiction book about boys who leave a working farm and travel along the Lincoln highway to find peace, make amends, and chase their dreams. It's a big read and you won't want to finish reading it.

An extract from Good Reads: "In June 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the working farm where he has just served a year for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett’s intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother and head west where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden’s car. Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett’s future."

2. Where the Crawdads Sing Delia Owens

It is rare to find a book that is as beautiful as some of my other favorites like The Book Thief, or the Dictionary of Lost words...

This fictional story was picked up by Reese Witherspoon for her book club and Hello Sunshine recently produced a film based on the book. Taylor Swift was so moved by the book she wrote a haunting folk song to be used in the film, and when Reese heard it she burst out in tears.

Crawdads is about a girl that gets pushed out by society and who then gets stigmatized as a potential killer because the society she lived in never knew or accepted her. This book shows the main character Kaya's character growth and starting when she is a toddler, to the end of her life. This is a thriller, a drama, and a romance. Read the book and then watch the movie.

3. The Scent Keeper -Erica Bauermeister

A beautiful heartfelt book that is also on Reese Witherspoon's book club recommendations. It tells the story of a father that taught his daughter how to distinguish smells. Living on a small island, not exposed to anyone else, it is quite hard to fit back into society, but perhaps this skill of smell and having a nose can be used in the work environment.

4. The Island of missing trees Elif Shafak

Excerpt from Good reads:" Two teenagers, a Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot, meet at a taverna on the island they both call home. In the taverna, hidden beneath garlands of garlic, chili peppers, and creeping honeysuckle, Kostas and Defne grow in their forbidden love for each other. A fig tree stretches through a cavity in the roof, and this tree bears witness to their hushed, happy meetings and eventually, to their silent, surreptitious departures. The tree is there when war breaks out, when the capital is reduced to ashes and rubble, and when the teenagers vanish. Decades later, Kostas returns. He is a botanist looking for native species, but really, he’s searching for lost love. Years later, a Ficus carica grows in the back garden of a house in London where Ada Kazantzakis lives. This tree is her only connection to an island she has never visited - her only connection to her family’s troubled history and her complex identity as she seeks to untangle years of secrets to find her place in the world."

5. The Dictionary of Lost Words Pip Williams

This is one of my favorite books, I bought it in 2021, and have probably read it 4 times.

This fictional tale plays off at Oxford University at the Scriptorium, the little shed where the Oxford Dictionary was born. The main character is a little girl that sits underneath the sorting table, and "steals" a few words that didn't make it into the first edition of the Oxford Dictionary. This tale is one of the unsung heroines of the Dictionary, the Lexicographers and contributors who were females and didn't have the rights to become editors or get degrees due to women's rights before and after the world wars.

Other quick fiction reads included:

6. The Judge's List-another John Grisham success story. Of a sitting judge, who is a potential serial killer. One of his victim's daughters has managed to connect many of his murders to him, and now a committee needs to investigate if the police or the FBI should get involved if he has in fact committed a crime.

7. Next in Line-Jeffrey Archer

This is the fifth book in the series of Detective: William Warrick. In this book, they join the Royalty protection services and are assigned to look after the security of Princess Diana. Another page-turner.

8. Homer's Odyssey

When I traveled to Greece, Carlos our greek guide shared many stories of the famous writer Homer. Some of his stories have been proven to be true, while others are fictional. I wanted to delve into Greek mythologies and enjoyed watching Troy, which was based on Homer's Iliad. This version is illustrated and much more accessible than the real textbook version of the book.

9. Who was Claude Monnet

In my keynote on How to measure the success of your life, I refer to stories told in the life of Claude Monnet, an impressionist who liked painting outside. He went from being poor, homeless, and unable to pay for his own studies, to finally selling a painting at the Salon in Paris and building his dream home, planting a Japanese garden and bridge and now his Waterlillies are sold all over the world for millions. I bought this book when I traveled to Paris, and the South of France with my mom in 2014. We were fortunate to visit the Orangerie a building designed in an oval shape where they commissioned his waterlilies to cover the walls.

10. Gaudi, the life of a visionary -J Castellar Gassol

I often re-read the story of Gaudi, the visionary. I was in awe when I visited Park Guell in Barcelona and saw how Gaudi had the foresight to capture rainwater, to create public spaces for the community to get together, it was as if he knew about Landscape architecture and environmental awareness decades before anyone else. We also visited the Sagrada Familia-where I was astounded to see how the rays of the sun through the stained windows would paint an entire wall in a different color, based on the time of the day.

Books by my speaker friends:

11. For the Love of Mothers?Paperback by?Mrs Njideka Chika Orji?

Njideka has been my coaching client for the last 6 months, and even though I'm not a mother, I was so inspired by her vision that I had to read her book. Njideka's vision is to help mothers to nurture their children in a way, that can create decent adults that can transform society. I've often seen many of my friends who get fully consumed by motherhood and in a way almost lose their own purpose or calling. In this Christian book, Njideka challenges mothers to set up boundaries, ask for what they need, create balance in their life, and have faith. If you are a Christian mother or feel as if you have no purpose outside of your kids Njideka's journeys of overcoming burnout and having to set boundaries will inspire you. This is a beautiful book that you can now also buy on Amazon, or order directly from her(to be delivered to your door or via Postnet). This is an incredible gift to your mommy friends.

12. Belonging -Alison Weihe

I read Alison Weihe's book the morning after doing a 20 km hike the previous day in Greece. While posing with her book I was utterly exhausted. Here was my Facebook post in May 2022

Alison's book launch at the Captaincy me event on the 26th of May was a roaring success. It was held at the Maslow Sun International-and she delivered a beautiful keynote-sharing story of how Alison and Friedel built the brand Creative Stone. Showcasing the rollercoaster journeys of being an entrepreneur. Her book will delight you.

13.You Are The 8th Wonder Of The World Max Moyo

I met Max Moyo when he was a speaker at the April convention of PSASA. I was blown away by his wisdom and insights that I immediately bought two of his books. Max encourages the reader that the two most important days of your life are when you are born and when you find out why you are here. Understanding your purpose.

Buy his books-great quick reads for the holidays or as a gift.

14. Future-proof Yourself: How to win at work and life

Nikki Bush

I met Nikki many years ago when I first heard the horrifying story of losing her husband. She spoke at the PSASA Jhb and I could still see that the message was raw, and the trauma was real. Knowing Nikki for many years now and having served on her committee when she was President, I have been fortunate to see how she walks her talk. How she reframed the trauma, what strategies she has implemented, but also how she is vulnerable and real in sharing her journey and ongoing healing.

She mentioned that after her husband's funeral that she had said to her friend that she felt like her life had reached a Full stop. Her friend challenged her to reframe the full stop, into a comma. Nikki shares in her talk and in her book, how to deal with disruption and how to future-proof yourself. She has practical strategies in her book that can help you get ahead in business and in life. Read her book and also watch her videos and read her newsletters.

15."Tagtig kilos se skuldlas" -Mart-Mari Breedt.

Have you ever struggled with your weight? To eat healthily and maintain your weight or have you also struggled with yoyo dieting that felt like starvation and never worked?

Mart-Mari reached a point in her life where she realized that for the benefit of her family, her health, and spending time with her kids-she wanted to get to her goal weight.

For the next 3 years, she joined Weighless and lost 80 kgs. This book was written after reaching her goal weight, where she speaks about her mental health journeys of dealing with forgiveness, shame, and letting go of the "emotional heaviness". Where the weight after all was actually a symptom that something was wrong in her life.

This last year she trained for her first marathon and her new book: "My first marathon training" is coming out soon.

I hope you have some wonderful holiday plans for yourself and your family this festive season. Or you can simply sit down with a great book and travel elsewhere with little expense but maximum joy.

16. Masterful marketing -Alan Weiss and Lisa Larter

Here is my review on Goodreads of their book:

'I've always been a big fan of Alan's work, being part of Leanne Hughe's Booked Out Community we had the privilege of interviewing him twice. And he was a speaker at the PSASA (Professional speakers association of Southern Africa conference in 2020).

When Alan and Lisa offered a fire-side chat about this book, I found so much value that I ordered it over Takealot.com to South Africa. I really prefer having a hard copy of a book versus an e-book, and I've highlighted so much in the book.

What I've enjoyed and now need to do:

1. I have a to-do list of tasks I can implement to grow my speaking, and training business

(https://Y-Connect.biz)

2. Alan & Lisa joke about each other quite a bit, and really enjoyed the case studies

3. Amazing insights on SEO

4. New strategies that I've never heard of in any other entrepreneurship /social media course I've attended.

5. They practice what they preach. They give real examples of how they've implemented this work in their own businesses and you can role model their example

6. I really enjoy the add-ons they provide with the book as well and realized, that I'm not in the business of creating meaningful workspaces for teams, but rather...in the business of marketing.

Because if people don't know about the problems you solve, and you are not educating them

frequently, they won't ever buy from you.

I have in the meantime written 3 more LinkedIn articles focussed on the audience I want to reach. I decided to be a bit more "contrarian" like Alan, and started off using the word: "Don't vomit on your audience", and later changed it to "Don't bleed on your audience".

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/dont-v...

Best stats for an article to date. I even had people messaging and emailing me about it afterward. Alan and Lisa inspired me to use my own experiences and tie that to the work that I do, this makes it more real and relatable to clients.

7. What I realized, it's better to have 500 of the right audience, than 5 000 000 of the wrong one.

8. Alan and Lisa made me realize, that perfection is what holds us back. Done is better than perfect, and I have been applying that more in getting marketing out rather than stressing about it endlessly.

I hope you rest out well this festive season and find time to dig into a book, two, or three. See you in 2023.